Second Report from the 2009 Programme for International Student Assessment

2009 Programme for

International Student Assessment

Second Report from the 2009 Programme for International Student Assessment

Authors

Pierre Brochu, Council of Ministers of Education, Canada

Tomasz Gluszynski, Human Resources and Skills Development Canada Fernando Cartwright, Statistics Canada

e u q i t s i t a t S s

c i t s i t a t S

a d a n a C a

d a n a C

Human Resources and Ressources humaines et

Skills Development Canada Développement des compétences Canada

Council of Ministers of Education, Canada 95 St. Clair West, Suite 1106

Toronto, Ontario M4V 1N6 Telephone: (416) 962-8100 Fax: (416) 962-2800 E-mail: [email protected]

© 2011 Council of Ministers of Education, Canada ISBN 978-0-88987-214-1

Ce rapport est également disponible en français.

Printed on recycled paper.

Table of Contents

Introduction

1

Objective of This Report

1 PISA 2009 Results

4

Part 1 Key Background Characteristics of 15-Year-Old Canadian Students

and Their Skills

7

Immigrant Students

7 Parental Education

9 Parental Occupation Status

11 Socioeconomic Status

12 Conclusion

15

Part 2 School-Related Factors Associated with Reading Achievement

17

Variation in Performance between and within Schools

18 Teacher-Student Relations

19 Disciplinary Climate

19 Student- and Teacher-Related Factors

20 School Responsibilities and Leadership

21 Library Use

22 Extracurricular Activities

22 Factors Hindering Instruction

22 Conclusion

23

Part 3 A Profile of Student Engagement in Reading, Attitudes,

and Approaches to Learning

25

Engagement in Reading

25 Approaches to Learning

29 Conclusion

35

References

37

Appendix

39

iv

Table of Contents

List of Tables and Figures

Figure 1.1 Average Scores and Confidence Intervals for Provinces and Selected

Countries: Combined Reading

4 Figure 1.2 Average Scores and Confidence Intervals for Provinces and Selected

Countries: Mathematices

5 Figure 1.3 Average Scores and Confidence Intervals for Provinces and Selected

Countries: Science

5 Figure 1.4 Proportions of First- and Second-Generation Immigrants within

15-Year-Old Student Body, by Province

8 Figure 1.5 Average Reading Performance by Immigrant Status and Province

8 Figure 1.6 Distribution of 15-Year-Old Students by Levels of Parental Education,

by Province

9 Figure 1.7 Differences in Average Reading, Mathematics, and Science

Performance between Children of Parents with at Least Some

Post-secondary Education and High School or Less

10 Table 1.1 Index of Parental Occupation Status and Its Effects on Average Reading

Scores, by Province

11 Table 1.2 Index of Cultural Possessions and Its Effects on Average Reading Scores,

by Province

12 Table 1.3 Index of Home Possessions and Its Effects on Average Reading Scores,

by Province

13 Table 1.4 Index of Educational Possessions and Its Effects on Average Reading

Scores, by Province

14 Table 1.5 Index of Economic, Social and Cultural Status and Its Effects on Average

Reading Scores, by Province

15 Table 2.1 Average PISA Reading Score for Students at Grade Levels Relative to the Most

Common Grade

18 Figure 2.1 Between-Schools Variance in Student Achievement

19 Figure 2.2 Index of Disciplinary Climate and Performance on the Reading Scale

20 Figure 3.1 Mean Score on the Index of Enjoyment of Reading, Canada, the OECD

Average, and the Provinces

26 Figure 3.2 Distribution of 15-Year-Olds by Time Spent Reading for Enjoyment

(Canada, the OECD Average, and the Provinces)

27 Figure 3.3 Performance on the Combined Reading Scale by Time Spent on Reading

for Enjoyment, PISA 2009

28 Table 3.1 Mean Score on the Index of Diversity in Reading and Proportion

of Variation in Reading Performance Explained by the Index

(Canada and the Provinces)

28

Table 3.2 Proportion of 15-Year-Old Students with Internet Access at Home

(Canada and the Provinces)

29 Figure 3.4 Mean Index Score on Students’ Use of Various Learning Strategies

(Canada, the OECD, and the Provinces)

31 Figure 3.5 Mean Index Score on Students’ Awareness of Various Metacognition Strategies

(Canada, the OECD, and the Provinces)

33 Figure 3.6 Relationship between Enjoyment of Reading, Summarizing Strategies,

and PISA Combined Reading Performance for Canada and the Provinces,

PISA 2009

34 Table A.1.1 Differences in Student Performance in Reading by Immigrant Status

40 Table A.1.2 Differences in Student Performance by Highest Level of Parental

Education Attainment

41 Table A.1.3 Index of Parental Occupation Status, by National/Provincial Quarters

of the Index

42 Table A.1.4 Index of Cultural Possessions at Home, by National/Provincial Quarters

of the Index

43 Table A.1.5 Index of Home Possessions at Home, by National/Provincial Quarters

of the Index

44 Table A.1.6 Index of Home Educational Resources, by National/Provincial Quarters

of the Index

45 Table A.1.7 Index of Economic, Social and Cultural Status, by National/Provincial

Quarters of the Index

46 Table A.2.1 Between-School and Within-School Variance in Student Performance

on the Reading Scale

47 Table A.2.2 Index of Teacher-Student Relations and Performance on the Reading

Scale, by National/Provincial Quarters of the Index

48 Table A.2.3 Index of Disciplinary Climate and Performance on the Reading Scale,

by National/Provincial Quarters of the Index

49 Table A.2.4 Index of Student-Related Factors Affecting School Climate and

Performance on the Reading Scale, by National/Provincial Quarters

of the Index

50 Table A.2.5 Index of Teacher-Related Factors Affecting School Climate and

Performance on the Reading Scale, by National/Provincial Quarters

of the Index

51 Table A.2.6 Index of Teachers’ Stimulation of Students’ Reading Engagement and

Reading Skills and Performance on the Reading Scale, by National/

Provincial Quarters of the Index

52 Table A.2.7 Index of School Responsibility for Resource Allocation and Performance

on the Reading Scale, by National/Provincial Quarters of the Index

53 Table A.2.8 Index of School Responsibility for Curriculum and Assessment and

Performance on the Reading Scale, by National/Provincial Quarters

of the Index

54 Table A.2.9 Index of School Principal’ s Leadership and Performance on the Reading

Scale, by National/Provincial Quarters of the Index

55

vi

Table of Contents

Table A.2.10 Index of Library Use in or Outside School and Performance on the

Reading Scale, by National/Provincial Quarters of the Index

56 Table A.2.11 Index of Schools’ Extra-curricular Activities and Performance on the

Reading Scale, by National/Provincial Quarters of the Index

57 Table A.2.12 Index of Teacher Shortage and Performance on the Reading Scale, by

National/Provincial Quarters of the Index

58 Table A.2.13 Index of Quality of Schools’ Educational Resources and Performance

on the Reading Scale, by National/Provincial Quarters of the Index

59 Table A.3.1 Index of Enjoyment of Reading and Performance on the Reading Scale,

by National/Provincial Quarters of the Index

60 Table A.3.2 Percentage of Students and Performance on the Reading Scale by Time

Spent on Reading for Enjoyment

61 Table A.3.3 Index of Diversity in Reading and Performance on the Reading Scale,

by National/Provincial Quarters of the Index

62 Table A.3.4 Index of On-line Reading Activities and Performance on the Reading

Scale, by National/Provincial Quarters of the Index

63 Table A.3.5 Index of Memorization Strategies and Performance on the Reading Scale,

by National/Provincial Quarters of the Index

64 Table A.3.6 Index of Elaboration Strategies and Performance on the Reading Scale,

by National/Provincial Quarters of the Index

65 Table A.3.7 Index of Control Strategies and Performance on the Reading Scale, by

National/Provincial Quarters of the Index

66 Table A.3.8 Index of Understanding and Remembering and Performance on the

Reading Scale, by National/Provincial Quarters of the Index

67 Table A.3.9 Index of Summarizing and Performance on the Reading Scale, by

National/Provincial Quarters of the Index

68

Objective of This Report

In 2009, the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) was administered in 65 countries and economies, including Canada, where approximately 23,000 students from about 1,000 schools in the nation’ s 10 provinces participated. In addition to responding to a two- hour paper-and-pencil assessment in reading, mathematics, and science, students completed a 30-minute questionnaire on their backgrounds, their school experiences, and their homes, as well as a 10-minute questionnaire on information technology and communication. Their school principals also completed a 30-minute questionnaire about their schools.

In December 2010, initial results from the PISA 2009 assessment were released at both the Canadian and the international levels (OECD, 2010a; OECD, 2010b;

OECD, 2010c; OECD, 2010d; OECD, 2010e; Knighton, Brochu, & Gluszynski, 2010). In the Canadian report, results were presented for the reading, mathematics, and science assessments — for Canada overall and for individual provinces. Results were further broken down by language of the school system and by gender.

This report is the second of two reports providing initial results from the PISA 2009 assessment for Canada and the provinces. Whereas the first report focused on the initial results in the three domains assessed by PISA, this second report complements the first one by looking at contextual variables associated with reading achievement.

Part 1 provides information concerning individual student factors measured by PISA; Part 2 looks at school- related factors; and Part 3 examines variables related to student engagement in reading, attitudes, and approaches to learning. In each part, descriptive data related to the selected variables are presented — followed by an examination of linkages between the variables of interest and achievement.

In most cases, a number of questionnaire items have been summarized in the form of an index (see text box Statistical Note). In the tables in the appendix, mean values are presented for variables of interest at the provincial and Canadian levels. Mean scores are also broken down by quarter of the distribution of the variable or index of interest (four groups each representing each 25% of the distribution). PISA mean scores in reading are displayed by provincial/national quarter of the distribution of the variable or index of interest. This presentation helps clarify the relationship between the variable under study and achievement in reading. As a measure of effect, the change in reading score by unit of the variable/index is displayed; the greater the change, the larger the effect.

Finally, the explained variance in student performance is provided (this is the proportion of the variance in student reading score that can be explained by the variable/index of interest).

Introduction

2

Introduction

Statistical Note

The averages were computed from the scores of random samples of students from each province and country and not from the population of students in each province or country� Consequently, it cannot be said with certainty that a sample average has the same value as the population average that would have been obtained had all 15-year-old students been assessed� In addition, a degree of error is associated with the scores describing student performance, as these scores are estimated based on student responses to test items� A statistic, called the “standard error,” is used to express the degree of uncertainty associated with sampling error and measurement error� The standard error can be used to construct a confidence interval, which provides a means of making inferences about the population averages and proportions in a manner that reflects the uncertainty associated with sample estimates�

When comparing scores among countries, provinces, or population subgroups, the degree of error in each average must be considered in order to determine whether the true population averages are likely different from each other�

Standard errors and confidence intervals may be used as the basis for performing these comparative statistical tests� Such tests can identify, with a known probability, whether there are actual differences in the populations being compared� When applicable, statistically significant differences between jurisdictions are indicated in boldface in the tables in the appendix�

Several PISA measures reflect indices that summarize responses from students or principals to a series of related questions� The questions were selected from a larger pool of questions on the basis of theoretical considerations and previous research� Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was used to validate the indices�

In the appendix tables, the PISA populations of interest are often divided into four equal groups, or quartiles, with regard to the value of the variable under study� In these tables, mean scores for each of these groups are presented�

Questionnaire Framework

The theory underlying the PISA 2009 assessment is described in the PISA 2009 Assessment Framework (OECD, 2009)� In addition to describing the conceptual framework for the development of the assessment in the three subject domains, it presents the framework that led the design of the PISA 2009 questionnaires that are used to gather background information addressing policy issues linked to student achievement�

Student Questionnaire

The Student Questionnaire helps ascertain individual differences between students that may account for differences in educational achievement� More specifically, this questionnaire focuses on the following elements:

• educational background

• family and home situation

• reading activities

• learning time

• school characteristics

• classroom and school climate

• language classes

• library access and activities

• strategies for reading and understanding texts

The additional Familiarity with ICT Questionnaire covered these specific dimensions:

• availability of ICT (Information and Communication Technology) devices and equipment at home and at school

• use of computers for educational activities in school and outside of school

• student capability at computer tasks

• attitudes toward computer use

School Questionnaire

The School Questionnaire is the key source of information about all dimensions of each school� This questionnaire provides comprehensive information concerning the following characteristics:

• structure and organization of the school

• student and teacher body

• school instruction, curriculum, and assessment

• school climate

• school policies and practices

• characteristics of the principal or designate

The PISA questionnaires, as well as the international data set related to these questionnaires, is available on the OECD website: http://pisa2009�acer�edu�au/downloads�php�

4

Introduction

PISA 2009 Results

Generally, both the OECD and the Canadian reports concluded that Canadian students continue to perform well in reading in a global context, having been surpassed by only four countries on the combined reading scale.

Students in nine of the Canadian provinces performed at or above the OECD average on the combined reading scale. Canadian results remain similar to those of the original PISA in 2000, although reading performance decreased in five provinces between 2000 and 2009 (see Figure 1.1).

The Canadian report of 2009 results confirmed that there is significant variation in performance between Canadian provinces in reading and that girls continue to outperform boys in this subject area. Canadian results in reading are characterized by a high level of equity, in spite of the difference in performance between

minority-language and majority-language schools in most Canadian provinces.

In the minor domains of mathematics and science, Canadian students also performed well. Of 65 participating countries, only 7 achieved significantly higher results in mathematics and only 6 performed at higher levels in science (see Figures 1.2 and 1.3).

Most provinces performed at or above the OECD average in mathematics and in science. Canadian 15-year-old males outperformed females in both mathematics and science, but the gender gap was much smaller in these subjects than in reading. The Canadian report further concluded that majority-language school systems outperformed minority- language systems and that Canadian results remained stable over time in those two subject areas.

Note: 32 other countries/economies are below the Canadian average and do not appear on this chart.

Average scores and confidence intervals for provinces and countries:

Combined reading

600

300 350 400 450 500 550

estimated average score

Above the Canadian average

Below the Canadian average At the Canadian average

Liechtenstein New Brunswick

Netherlands

Saskatchewan Newfoundland and Labrador Switzerland

Poland United States

Norway Estonia Iceland

Belgium

Nova Scotia Quebec

Japan New Zealand Australia

Shanghai-China

Ontario Korea

Finland Alberta Hong Kong-China

Singapore British Columbia

Canada

Hungary

Latvia Portugal

Italy Macao-China Prince Edward Island Greece Slovenia

Spain Czech Republic

Manitoba Germany Ireland

United Kingdom France

Denmark Sweden

Chinese Taipei

Figure 1.1 Average Scores and Confidence Intervals for Provinces and Selected Countries: Combined Reading

Figure 1.2 Average Scores and Confidence Iintervals for Provinces and Selected Countries: Mathematics

Note: 32 other countries/economies are below the Canadian average and do not appear on this chart.

Average scores and confidence intervals for provinces and countries:

Mathematics estimated average score

600

300 350 400 450 500 550 650

At the Canadian average

Above the Canadian average ^Korea

Quebec

Hong Kong-China Chinese Taipei

Japan Canada Ontario

New Zealand Switzerland Alberta

Macao-China Netherlands Singapore

Finland Liechtenstein

Shanghai-China

New Brunswick

Slovenia Denmark

Manitoba

Newfoundland and Labrador

Italy

Slovak Republic Norway

Austria France

Sweden Poland

Portugal Hungary

United States Czech Republic

United Kingdom Luxembourg Ireland Prince Edward Island

Below the Canadian average

British Columbia

Iceland Estonia

Saskatchewan Nova Scotia

Australia Germany

Belgium

Figure 1.3 Average Scores and Confidence Intervals for Provinces and Selected Countries: Science

Note: 32 other countries/economies are below the Canadian average and do not appear on this chart.

Average scores and confidence intervals for provinces and countries:

Science estimated average score

300 350 400 450 500 550 600 650

Finland

Hong Kong-China Alberta

Japan

EstoniaOntario CanadaNew Zealand Australia British Columbia

Shanghai-China

Singapore Korea

At the Canadian average Above the Canadian average

Below the Canadian average

Denmark Iceland France New Brunswick Czech Republic Norway

Hungary

United States Manitoba Belgium

Switzerland

Ireland Quebec

Macao-China Saskatchewan

Poland Slovenia Newfoundland and Labrador

United Kingdom

Nova Scotia

Chinese Taipei Liechtenstein Netherlands

Germany

Sweden

Prince Edward Island

PortugalLatvia Austria Lithuania Slovak Republic

Students’ success is affected to a great extent by their individual and family characteristics, and a vast array of literature has illustrated that learning outcomes are dependent on these factors. This chapter presents the results of analyses of PISA performance based on some key background characteristics of 15-year-old Canadian students. First, results of Canadian immigrant students are presented. Second, to highlight the issue of intergenerational skill transfers, PISA achievement is analyzed based on the level of educational attainment of the students’ parents. Third, the results are presented based on parental occupation status. Lastly, a detailed analysis of the effects of socioeconomic status (SES) on reading scores is presented. Throughout this chapter, all results are presented at the Canadian and provincial levels.

In addition, where applicable, international comparisons are introduced and discussed.

Immigrant Students

For Canada, a country highly dependent on immigration, it is important to understand the skill levels of students with immigrant backgrounds. Such information can highlight the rate of social integration in Canada, as well as showing whether any disadvantages faced by Canadian immigrants persist over time.

For the purpose of this analysis, the 15-year-old students assessed by PISA in 2009 have been grouped into

three categories, corresponding to the following definitions:

native students – students who were born in the country where they were assessed by PISA or who had at least one parent born in that country second-generation students – students who were born in the country of assessment but whose parents were foreign-born

first-generation students – students who were foreign-born (OECD, 2010b, p. 66)

Applying these definitions to the Canadian 15-year- old students assessed by PISA revealed that 24 percent of the student body consisted of individuals with immigrant backgrounds (see Figure 1.4). This is a significant proportion, whereas the OECD average is only 10 percent. Provincially, these proportions vary from almost 35 percent in British Columbia to less than 1 percent in Newfoundland and Labrador.

On average, Canadian students with immigrant backgrounds, regardless of their immigrant category, have reading skills not significantly different than those of native students (see Figure 1.5). The equity between first-generation, second-generation, and native students puts Canada in a unique position internationally, as in most countries with significant immigrant populations, immigrant students are at a significant disadvantage with regard to reading skills.

Part 1

Key Background Characteristics of

15-Year-Old Canadian

Students and Their Skills

8

Part 1

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

Canada NL PE NS NB QC ON MB SK AB BC OECD

Second-generation students First-generation students

Percentage

Figure 1.4 Proportions of First- and Second-Generation Immigrants within 15-Year-Old Student Body, by Province

Figure 1.5 Average Reading Performance by Immigrant Status and Province

420 440 460 480 500 520 540 560

Canada NL PE NS NB QC ON MB SK AB BC OECD

Native students Second-generation students First-generation students

Average PISA Reading Score

Provincially, the performance of immigrant students also does not vary a great deal between the different categories of students. Native students significantly outperform immigrant students in only one province:

Quebec. In Prince Edward Island, second-generation immigrants outperform first-generation immigrants and native students. In Alberta, second-generation students outperform their native peers. In all other provinces, there are no significant differences in reading skills between these groups of students.

The 2009 PISA results for Canadian 15-year-old students with immigrant backgrounds are very positive.

Unlike the case in most other countries with high levels of immigrants, any disadvantages faced by these students are small or non-existent. In addition, any disadvantage disappears within one generation. There are significant differences in only two provinces (Quebec and Alberta), but even these are relatively small compared to the differences in other countries.

Parental Education

Level of parental education can be used as a proxy for the social and cultural environment of the student.

Intergenerational factors have also been found to be significant in previous research, where less educated parents held lower educational expectations for their children and were less engaged in their children’ s schooling (Looker & Thiessen, 2004).

Information on parental education was collected from the students. Where a student reported that two parents were educated, the higher education level was used in the analysis. It was discovered that Canadian parents of 15-year-old students have high levels of educational attainment. At the Canadian level, 72 percent have at least some post-secondary education. This was much higher than international levels, where, across the OECD countries, only 49 percent were estimated to have this level of educational attainment (see Figure 1.6).

Figure 1.6 Distribution of 15-Year-Old Students by Levels of Parental Education, by Province

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Canada NL PE NS NB QC ON MB SK AB BC OECD

Percentage

High school or less At least some post-secondary education

10

Part 1 The differences in performance in all three domains measured by PISA — reading, mathematics, and science

— are significant when compared between parental education levels. In Canada, in all three domains, an average of more than 30 score points lies between students from more educated households and those from less educated households, as illustrated in Figure 1.7. This difference was smaller than the OECD average difference of over 50 score points in all three domains of PISA.

Provincially, the differences in scores also vary. The largest differences were observed in Quebec in all three domains, but especially in mathematics, where there are almost 45 score points between students from more educated households and those from less educated households. The smallest differences in all three domains are in Nova Scotia.

Figure 1.7 Differences in Average Reading, Mathematics, and Science Performance between Children of Parents with at Least Some Post-secondary Education and High School or Less

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Canada NL PE NS NB QC ON MB SK AB BC OECD

Reading performance Math performance Science performance

Average Score Point Difference

Native students

Parental Occupation Status

An attempt to estimate the measures of parental occupation is important to understanding skill outcomes of Canadian students. Although this is a less direct measure than collecting this information from parents themselves, it represents an attempt to measure the economic status of students’ households. PISA used the International Socio-economic Index of occupational status (ISEI)¹ [of either mother or father]. Where students reported an occupation for both parents, the higher ISEI level was used in analysis.

The results of analysis of this measure on PISA reading scores yield very weak effects. On average, in Canada, parental occupation status explains 6.5 percent of the differences in PISA reading scores, as shown in Table 1.1.

This compares well with the OECD average of 12.9 percent.

Following the overall Canadian results, the explanatory power of the index on PISA scores is also small among the provinces, ranging from 4.7 percent in Saskatchewan to 8.1 percent in Manitoba (see Table 1.1).

1 The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) International Socio-Economic Index of occupational status (ISEI) was derived from students’ responses regarding parental occupation. The index captures the attributes of occupations that convert parents’

education into income. It was derived through the optimal scaling of occupation groups in order to maximize the indirect effect of education on income through occupation and to minimize the direct effect of education on income, net of occupation (both effects being net of age). For more information on the methodology, see Ganzeboom, H.B.G.; De Graaf, P.; Treiman, D. J.; (with De Leeuw, J.) (1992).

2 The model used in estimating this value assumes a linear relationship between PISA scores and the Index of Parental Occupation Status.

Therefore, on average, one would expect a change in the student’ s score if that student’ s parental occupation status were to increase by one unit.

Table 1.1 Index of Parental Occupation Status and Its Effects on Average Reading Scores, by Province

  Mean

index Standard error

Change in the reading score per one

(integer) unit change in the

index² Standard error

Percentage of explained

variance in reading

performance Standard error

Canada 53�3 (0�2) 1�39 (0�1) 6�5 (0�6)

NL 49�5 (0�4) 1�32 (0�2) 5�7 (2�0)

PE 51�4 (0�4) 1�57 (0�2) 7�1 (1�4)

NS 52�5 (0�5) 1�36 (0�2) 6�0 (1�5)

NB 50�7 (0�5) 1�44 (0�1) 6�3 (1�3)

QC 53�9 (0�4) 1�36 (0�1) 6�3 (1�2)

ON 53�2 (0�4) 1�34 (0�1) 6�8 (1�2)

MB 50�4 (0�6) 1�59 (0�2) 8�1 (1�7)

SK 51�5 (0�5) 1�26 (0�2) 4�7 (1�3)

AB 54�2 (0�5) 1�60 (0�2) 6�9 (1�4)

BC 53�9 (0�7) 1�21 (0�2) 4�9 (1�2)

OECD 48�6 (0�2) 2�09 (0�0) 12�9 (0�5)

12

Part 1

Socioeconomic Status

The ability to collect information related to socioeconomic status from 15-year-olds is limited.

Nevertheless, PISA attempted to measure this in a way that would be feasible based on student reports. By collecting information about their home possessions, three indices have been created: the Index of Cultural Possessions, the Index of Home Possessions, and the Index of Educational Possessions. The information collected with respect to each of these is relevant to learning outcomes in that it helps measure the quality of learning environments.

The Index of Cultural Possessions was constructed to measure the student’ s exposure to cultural materials at home. It encompasses information about the following items that might be found in a student’ s household:

classical artwork, books of poetry, and works of art (OECD, 2010b p. 29). The OECD average on this index is -0.11.

On average, Canadian students come from households with the same level of exposure to these types of cultural media (-0.12) as the average OECD 15-year- old student (-0.11) (see Table 1.2).

A small proportion of the variance in PISA reading scores is explained by exposure to cultural possessions at home (5.6 percent), an estimate of a similar value to the OECD average of 7.0 percent. Provincially, this exposure ranges from 4.1 percent in Ontario to 8.9 percent in New Brunswick (Table 1.2).

The Index of Home Possessions is calculated from information about households’ ownership of the following items: a desk where the student could study, a room of his or her own, a link to the Internet, a dishwasher, a DVD player or VCR, and access to cellular phones, televisions, computers, cars, and books at home (including numbers for each of these) (OECD, 2010b, p. 29).

Table 1.2 Index of Cultural Possessions and Its Effects on Average Reading Scores, by Province

Mean

index Standard error

Change in the reading score per one

(integer) unit change in the

index Standard error

Percentage of explained variance in reading

performance Standard error

Canada -0�12 (0�01) 20�78 (1�0) 5�6 (0�5)

NL -0�12 (0�03) 21�20 (3�0) 5�6 (1�4)

PE -0�30 (0�03) 23�08 (2�6) 6�6 (1�5)

NS -0�15 (0�04) 22�98 (2�6) 7�6 (1�7)

NB -0�30 (0�03) 26�15 (2�3) 8�9 (1�6)

QC -0�31 (0�02) 21�48 (1�8) 6�0 (0�9)

ON -0�04 (0�02) 17�63 (1�9) 4�1 (0�8)

MB -0�21 (0�03) 18�79 (2�6) 4�2 (1�2)

SK -0�19 (0�03) 20�87 (2�7) 5�2 (1�3)

AB -0�05 (0�04) 22�83 (2�6) 6�1 (1�4)

BC 0�00 (0�04) 23�93 (1�7) 7�3 (1�1)

OECD -0�11 (0�01) 25�90 (0�6) 7�0 (0�3)

On average, Canadian students rank significantly higher (0.41) than the OECD average on the Index of Home Possessions (-0.22) (see Table 1.3). The provincial averages on this index vary from 0.15 in Quebec to 0.58 in Alberta. As in the case of the Index of Cultural Possessions, this index is able to explain very little of the variation in PISA reading scores (4.5 percent), ranging from 1.9 percent in Prince Edward Island to 7.2 percent in New Brunswick. These proportions were significantly lower than the OECD average, where 13 percent of the variation is explained by this measure (see Table 1.3).

The Index of Educational Possessions was calculated from students’ responses concerning the following household possessions: a quiet place to study, educational software, their own calculator, books to help them with school work, and a dictionary (OECD, 2010b, p. 29).

The average value reported by Canadian students (0.10) on this index is higher than the OECD average of -0.18 (see Table 1.4). The provincial averages on this index range from -0.13 in Manitoba to 0.17 in Ontario.

Table 1.3 Index of Home Possessions and Its Effects on Average Reading Scores, by Province

  Mean

index Standard error

Change in the reading score per one

(integer) unit change in the

index Standard error

Percentage of explained

variance in reading

performance Standard error

Canada 0�41 (0�02) 22�72 (1�4) 4�5 (0�5)

NL 0�21 (0�03) 28�75 (3�7) 6�7 (1�7)

PE 0�18 (0�02) 16�78 (3�6) 1�9 (0�9)

NS 0�27 (0�02) 15�84 (2�6) 2�1 (0�7)

NB 0�16 (0�02) 31�81 (2�8) 7�2 (1�3)

QC 0�15 (0�02) 22�77 (3�1) 3�8 (1�0)

ON 0�50 (0�03) 23�62 (2�4) 5�2 (1�0)

MB 0�28 (0�03) 20�18 (3�8) 3�4 (1�3)

SK 0�46 (0�03) 20�69 (3�3) 3�5 (1�1)

AB 0�58 (0�03) 25�21 (2�6) 4�9 (0�9)

BC 0�54 (0�03) 15�51 (3�0) 2�1 (0�8)

OECD -0�22 (0�01) 31�20 (0�6) 13�0 (0�5)

14

Part 1

Again, this index is unable to explain a large proportion of the differences in PISA reading scores, covering only 3.8 percent of the variation, which is significantly lower than the OECD average of 7.9 percent.

Finally, PISA combined all the indices in order to create the most complete measure of socioeconomic status: the Index of Economic, Social, and Cultural Status. This measure was constructed from indices that were discussed before: the International Socio-economic Index of occupational status, [the level of education of mother or father (whichever was higher)], the Index of Cultural Possessions, the Index of Home Possessions, and the Index of Educational Possessions (OECD, 2010b, p. 29). The OECD average on this index is 0.

On this combined measure, Canada obtains one of the highest values (0.50) among all OECD countries (see Table 1.5). The average measure varies provincially between 0.26 in Newfoundland and Labrador to 0.61 in Alberta (Table 1.5).

Despite being the most comprehensive measure of socioeconomic status, only 8.6 percent of the total PISA reading score variation is explained by this combined measure. Internationally, only in Iceland, Estonia and Finland does socioeconomic status explains less difference in scores as compared to Canada (OECD, 2010b). This again highlights Canada’ s equitable reading skill outcomes.

Table 1.4 Index of Educational Possessions and Its Effects on Average Reading Scores, by Province

  Mean

index Standard error

Change in the reading score per one

(integer) unit change in the

index Standard error

Percentage of explained

variance in reading

performance Standard error

Canada 0�10 (0�01) 19�94 (1�2) 3�8 (0�4)

NL -0�01 (0�03) 17�22 (3�3) 3�1 (1�2)

PE -0�10 (0�02) 15�27 (3�2) 2�3 (0�9)

NS -0�04 (0�03) 17�02 (2�7) 3�3 (1�0)

NB -0�08 (0�03) 23�72 (2�5) 6�0 (1�2)

QC 0�07 (0�02) 18�33 (2�6) 2�8 (0�8)

ON 0�17 (0�02) 19�58 (2�4) 3�8 (0�9)

MB -0�13 (0�02) 15�40 (3�2) 2�5 (1�0)

SK -0�11 (0�03) 22�12 (2�6) 5�3 (1�1)

AB 0�05 (0�03) 21�17 (2�7) 4�3 (1�1)

BC 0�13 (0�03) 17�72 (2�4) 3�0 (0�8)

OECD -0�18 (0�01) 26�49 (0�5) 7�9 (0�3)